The Impossible Dreamer- An Iron Fey FanFic
by Emilie Jean
Summary: Olivia Munnings is far from normal. Born with wild imagination and insane artistic ability come with it's perks, but also it's issues. Olivia's life is about to change as she's thrown into a world more wild and dangerous than even she could ever imagine. Now the only thing that can save her is what got her into this mess, as she dives head first into the Nevernever.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys, thanks for reading this! I'm totally new to FanFic writing so pleas e bare with me! **

**I own none of the original Iron Fey characters nor the Nevernever. **

It awoke me in the night. Fire burning through my veins, setting my fingers alight. Sweat soaked through my as I burned up, images burst before my eye lids. Scenes, places, people I've never seen. Things that couldn't be explained nor possibly exist. Horrifying creatures born from fear tore at my mind.

Dread, terror and desire ripped through my stomach rocketing my body with a wave of nausea. Hot tears tumbled down my cheeks. My body sprung unconsciously into action, my heart hammering out a rhythm matching the pounding of drums in my head. I scrambled from my bed sheets overwhelmed by wild confusion, stumbling across my bedroom floor. Dark figures lingered and danced amongst the shadows of my room, chanting, humming to the ancient drum rhythm in my head. The words they spoke I could not understand.

I burst onto the landing and sprinted for my studio door flinging the door wide. A large blank canvas lay before me and now I was wild with desire and fear as the images threatened to burst out of me. I grabbed for my paint brush desperately, hot tears burning firey tails down my cheeks, and I was lost. The images exploded from my finger tips down my brush onto the canvas, I painted in frantic almost animalistic strokes. My body thrummimg with overbearing energy. My consciousnesses became swallowed up by thick smoke and I faded into darkness.

"Olivia!" squawked an exasperated voice. "Olivia! By god girl, where are you? You're going to be late for school!" No response. Heavy foot print boomed down the corridor, looming closer. The door flung open.

"Olivia..."

She, my mother, paused in the doorway finishing pulling her long dark hair into a spotless bun.

"Oh. Olivia honey, what on earth are you doing in here at this time in the morning." She asked, shimmying her way towards me whilst adjusting her crisp black pencil skirt.

I groaned trying to pry open my sluggish eyelids. Wishing she would just leave me to wallow in peaceful slumber.

"You're covered in paint!" She keened. "What the heck happened in here!"

She froze. " My god... Olivia, did you paint this?"

Her voice had dropped several octaves, she shuffled closer silently towards the canvas.

_The canvas_.

My head shot up off the desk, paint tubes and brushes scattered across the floor, suddenly more awake than I had ever been before.

Last night hadn't been some wild dream, it must of happened because here I was in my studio covered from head to toe in paint. And if that wasn't enough proof there was of course the massive canvas in front of me adorned with swirls and strokes of brightly colored paint portraying several different scene and people.

Scenes with trees made of metal, normal trees with fruit of vibrant indigo, bushes with long crimson thorns and electric blue roses, rooms forged from large twisted vines and a kingdom made from ice.

Surreal people with an eerie ethereal beauty of sharp features, iridescent and jarringly vibrant eyes. Strange creatures crawled around the page, faces set into snarls or looks of pure malice.

It was all to much to take in, all these scenes somehow managed to merge seamlessly into one painting. But the most strking scene of all that dominated the most of the space was of fire. My house, my college, the entire of Brighton was on fire.

I stumbled back, gasping, tripping over my paint case. Terrified, my eyes shot to my mother to verify that this was all real. She stood emerged in silence, hand covering her mouth as her features stay frozen in shock. Her wide eyes stared unblinking at my creation. She turned her head slowly to face me, her cinnamon brown eyes fogged deeply with concern.

" Honey, did you do this?" her voice was calm and even. I gulped, feeling extremely sick.

"Yes."

"I think you better shower and get ready for school." And she left the room.

I showered and got ready in a mad rush, desperate to make it in time for the bus and to wash this mornings events from my memory. I quickly ran the hair dryer through my hair leaving it in thick dark waves that cascaded along my shoulders and down my back and quickly ran some black eyeliner across my top eye lids and finishing it off with some mascara.

I dragged black jeans from my dresser and paired it with a scarlet gansey sweater and red and navy stripped cotton scarf. I quickly shoved my feet into my grey Ugg boots and pegged it down the stars.

My dad stood in the kitchen arms folded reading the morning paper, steaming mug of coffee beside him. "Morning pumpkin, running a bit late?"

he asked, eyes still locked on his paper.

"Uh huh. You could say so, I'm never gonna make the bus." I groaned as I shuffled over and squirmed into my dads embrace.

He shifted and wrapped his arms around me placing a kiss upon the crown of my head. I buried into his arms enjoying the comfort and safety of his embrace. Breathing in the smell of coffee and aftershave that was his. In my father's embrace I was almost able to forget the unease that kindled in my veins, almost.

"Tell you what" he said "I've gotta go work on some stuff up in the study in a minute, why don't you take the Volvo." taking a swig of his coffee.

"Seriously?" My eyebrows were rocketing, Dad never lets me drive the Volvo. Ever.

"Well Moms already taken the Cleo and you're gonna be late, so I don't see why not." he grinned down at me.

My worries suddenly dissipated.

"You are the best, you know that?" I could barely control the grin spreading across my face.

"Well me and your Mom have been thinking it's about time you got your own car soon anyway, so for today you can borrow mine."

He pulled his keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of my face.

"Not a single scratch, you here?"

"Loud and clear chief, loud and clear." I swiped them from his grasp, reached up on my tiptoes a gave him a quick peck on his forehead and ruffled his blond hair.

"Gotta dash, love you."

"You too." and with that he resumed reading his papers and strolled out of the room towards his office.


	2. Chapter 2

I honestly couldn't believe that my dad had trusted me with his prize the possession, The Volvo. A white XC90 with an leather interior fresh from the factory, and man did this baby purr. As I opened the drivers door I let the smell of new leather tumble over me, savoring the moment.

I had learnt to drive last June, when I turned 17 and I'm dying for my own car. I've hinted to my parents already more times than I could possibly remember and it seems, after Dad's little reveal this morning, that they have finally taken the hint. My dream car would so be a 1969 cherry red Camaro. Unfortunately they come like gold dust in England, so if you want one you have to pay even more than you would if you lived in the U.S and even then, if you want one in good condition, you'd need to win the lottery. So until my artist career takes off being allowed one day driving my Dad's state of the art Volvo will happily suffice.

Taking a deep breath I climbed aboard.

Sure I'd rode in the Volvo plenty of times, but never driven it. For today I was not running to catch the 7:45 bus in the pouring rain. I felt like Queen of the road as I navigated around the sunny streets of Brighton, music blasting from the speakers, but still unable to get rid of the niggling feeling in the pit of stomach.

As I reached the traffic lights in front of the primary school the radio starting emitting a strange whining noise. I lent forward to press the tuning button but something was wrong, the whining turned into buzzing and crackling. I shut the radio off but it still continued, I couldn't work out what was happening. Babbling nonsense spilled through the speakers and I swear the crackling was starting to sound more like cackling.

_What the?_

Something caught my eye in the corner of my rear-view mirror, I slowly turned my head heart pounding.

"Shit!" I screamed. On the back seat of my car was some thing. All I saw was a flash of slitted electric green eyes and small spindly body before it, what I can only describe as, blinked out of existence with a mad cackle of laughter.

I slammed my foot on the brake causing the car behind me to almost Plough into my rear.

_What the hell was that?_

There was nothing to be seen on the back seat at all, I must of imagined it. There was no other explanation, right?

_Why am I being so jumpy?_

I was starting to feel like I was losing my mind.

I shifted the car back into gear waving apologies to the other driver, pretending I couldn't see the dark shadows crawling all over out of the corner of my eye, like I do each time this happens. Because unexplainable little creatures do not exist. A large black bird eyed me from atop the traffic lights, it's glassy green eyes tracking my every movement. Pulling away from the traffic lights I shivered.

I rolled into the college car park at exactly 8:20 a.m, I should of had a massive grin on my face but instead I just felt dazed and disconnected. I forced myself to smile. I am a normal, sane teenage girl and my Dad just let me drive the Volvo to school.

Which I almost just crashed.

I grabbed my bag and attempted to leisurely lumber out of the car. I turned to close the door.

With no warning a voice came up behind me and cold breath whispered onto my neck.

"Are you high?"

I leaped about 4Ft into the air, hairs on the back of my neck standing on ends.

"Shit. Tia, do you have to sneak up on my like that." I gasped.

She stood leaning on the car, legs crossed examining her long black nails. Her dark dreadlocks pilled upon the top off her head in some sort of bun. She had on a tight black tank top, which is way to thin to be considered spring clothing, and ripped black jeans.

"Please don't curse, it sounds so wrong coming from those cherubic lips." she said snidely.

"O.K..." I pulled my bag further up my shoulder.

"You still haven't answered my question. " her icy green kohl rimmed eyes flicked towards me.

"What?"

She leaned closer to me if sizing me up, it could be seen as quite an intimidating gesture but it was just Tia's personality. Always going for the shock factor, the proof lying in her blue streaked hair and studded leather boots.

"I asked you if you were high, you had this stupidly ridiculous and deranged smile on your face." I pushed her gently aside "It was kinda freaking me out."

I laughed.

"T, any sign of positive emotion freaks you out. And no I'm most definitely NOT high."

She pulled up alongside me as we strode to the entrance.

"Whatever, sweet cheeks."

Tia and I had been 'friends' for six months now, she had transferred to my college early November after apparently being kicked out of the previous. This did not surprise me. Tia had her own way of doing things which mostly involved scaring the shit out of people and it worked. She wasn't all that bad, if you looked past her shitty attitude and silver nose rings. We kept each other company and sometimes, when she wasn't looking at me like she was sizing me up for her next meal, I swore she might even like me.

"I so wish you wouldn't wear those things." She whined stretching lazily across the table.

"Wear what?"

"Those things. On your feet. They don't even deserved to be called shoes."

We were sat at the back of the tutor room as usual, nobody dared to venture too close incase Tia bit them. Somehow I wouldn't put it past her.

I was supposed, by age, to be in my last year of college now. As a child I was hospital a lot of the time so I missed a lot of school, I got left way behind and had to repeat my last year of primary school in order to pass my S.

"They're called Ugg boots and, quite frankly" I told her. "I couldn't careless if you like them or not. "

She let out a high pitched whine. "You're so mean to me."

I kicked her chair. "And you're mean to everyone else."

Mr. Donaldson strode into the room man-handling his briefcase, a cup of coffee and the local news paper, which I highly doubt he ever reads. His glasses balanced precariously on the end of his nose.

"Erm right guys, sorry I'm late."

He dumped his load onto his desk. Everybody continued along with their conversations as though they hadn't heard him. Mr. Donaldson sighed and plucked a metre ruler off from the floor and hammered it manically across the front desk.

"All right, all right! Listen up." he adjusted his glasses. "We have the spring extravaganza next week and nobody has offered a single idea as how to raise money for charity."

In unison the entire class moaned, myself included. Tia was too busy staring at Harry Walters, from the rugby team, like she was contemplating eating him.

"It's for charity! Get your butts in gear. If I don't hear any progress by the end of today, I'll make sure all your sorry butts . . ."

There was a knock the door.

Sighing, Mr. Donaldson wafted his hand in a "yes, come in" gesture.

And in he came.

Tia shifted stiffly beside

me, emitting a low growl that made the hairs along my arms stand up.

"What is HE doing here?" she snarled flashing her somewhat surprisingly sharp canines.

He waltzed into the room with such an air of arrogance that I couldn't help but to simply look and blink, his tall lanky frame was slouched with arms stuffed into his denim jeans. He had a shock of spiky, and shockingly red, auburn hair and the greenest eyes I had ever seen. Eyes that caught the light like little polished emeralds and twinkled with undeniable mischief. They were the kind of eyes that deserved to be painted.

Grinning manically, like he was a part of some big joke, and winking in our direction as he headed up to Mr. Donaldson, I was hit with the overwhelming urge to giggle.

_Oh my gosh, I did not just want to giggle._

"You know this guy?" I whispered as she continued to eye him like something foul stuck to her shoe.

"Don't need to." her voice was dangerously low and admittedly, a little scary.

"I don't understand."

"And you are..."

Mr. Donaldson cocked a bushy eyebrow at the stranger.

" Robbie. Robbie Goodfell." he thrust his hand towards the teacher.

"OK..." He said as he lamely shook the boy's hand.

"I've just transferred here, Mrs.. Gordon said you were expecting me. Mr. McDonald's right?"

"No, Donaldson. Ok... Erm"

"Robbie"

" Yes, yes. Why don't you take a seat? "

Still smiling the boy lumbered across the class room a plonked down right across from Tia and I. Tia hissed but the boy just grinned from ear to ear, almost egging her on. He clearly was way to eager to be at school for first thing on a morning. I just stared at him dumbfounded.

By the end of the tutor session I was itching to get to the art room, I had a free period next and I was planning on spending it losing myself in my work. But as soon as the bell sounded Tia grabbed me by the arm and literally dragged me from the room, mumbling curses.

I attempted to shake her vice like grip off.

"Ow. T, what's your problem?!"

She spun to face me glacial eyes flashing.

"Quick. Before we can't get rid of him!" She hissed.

I was seriously confused by this point, I couldn't work out what was going on between Tia and this new guy Robbie. Had they met before? It seemed very likely due to Tia's reaction. Tia never acknowledged anybody, ever. Well apart from me. Ever since she entered this school she made it all very clear that she wasn't interested in interacting anybody, and everybody stayed clear of her.

This was turning out to be a very weird day and the constant churning in my stomach told me that things were only going to get weirder.

"Ah!" Came a voice. "Tiaothin, I did think I would have the pleasure of bumping into your loveliness today. And to think here we are attending the same school!"

_Tiaothin_?

Looking a cross between exasperated and completely pissed Tia rolled her eyes and turned on Robbie who was bounding up to us.

"Aren't you a little too old for school 'Robbie'"

He stood crossing his arms behind the back of his head, rocking back casually on his heals.

"No more than you dear Tia." He sneered.

" Well ain't that the understatement of the year." she growled.

"Wait, what? You two really do know each other?"

"Yes.""No." Robbie and Tia said at the same time.

I just stared at them both in utter confusion. I held up my hand.

"You know what? I don't even wan to know."


	3. Chapter 3

Robbie ended up following us to the art class room.

" I'm Robbie." He said shooting me a bright white grin, holding out his hand.

"Olivia." I replied putting my hand in his which he shook hard enough to remove my whole arm from my shoulder.

"Pleasure to meet you Olivia." He bowed with a flourish.

I was struck by just how bizarre this boy was. Here he was after just striding into college without a warning, not even knew he was coming, and not a single other person had yet to acknowledge him at all. Considering his eminent charm and obviously good looks, I found it hard to believe that the girls were't all over him yet. And then there was his accent, I just couldn't't place it.

"Where are you from?" I blurted, eyebrow cocked.

He blinked, momentarily shocked before a lazy grin spread across his face.

"Now that's a difficult question to answer. I guess you could say that I'm definitely from a place both very near but yet quite far from here, depending on how you view it. Then again you could also say that I'm the wandering kind of guy" He said very theoretically, a hand on his hip and his other on his chin. " but maybe I'm just looking for somewhere to belong. Or maybe ..."

Tia rolled her eyes.

"Are you trying to be coy, or are you just deliberately talking circles around me?" I folded my arms across my chest.

Pulling me along the hall, Tia glared back at him.

"Ignore him, he's an arse-hole."

He held a hand to his heart in an exaggerated display of hurt.

"Oh, how the icy bitch strikes my heart yet again." His eyes twinkled with mischievously.

"If you don't piss off I'll rip it out and feet it to the goblins." she snapped.

He laughed merrily and trotted after us.

The whole situation was extremely awkward, between Tia threats of death and Robbie's deliberate attempts to rile her, I practically sprinted the last few strides to the art room leaving my two companions in my dust to continue whatever it was that was going on between them.

I'm not sure how he did it but as I pushed through the door, there Robbie was sat arms crossed rocked on my chair. I stopped and blinked at him.

"Eh? Wait, how the heck did you do that?"

My head darted to where I'd had left them in the corridor to where he sat now. Tia slinked up next to me.

"Show off." She muttered.

Robbie just laughed, pulled out a bright red apple, from god knows where, polished it on his blue flannel shirt and took a bite out of it. Droplets of juice splattered across the mounds of work sprawled across my desk.

"Right."I said Storming over to him, hoisting him from my chair and pushing him towards the door.

" It was lovely to meet you Robbie, it truly was. But as of right now you are officially dismissed, don't you have classes to attend?"

Tia smirked.

"I'm pretty sure Tia will show you round, right T?" Her smirk vanished.

Robbie had wedged his hands and feet against the door frame and waged a full on battle to remain within the room. He peered at me other his shoulder, an amused grin on his face.

" Are you trying to get rid of us?" he laughed.

"Yes." I admitted. "Yes I am."

With one last shove they were both into the hallway and I slammed the door behind them. They stood staring at me through the door glass in mild disbelief, I stuck my tongue out at them. As I walked back to my desk I heard Robbie say;

"I think I like this girl."

It wasn't hard to imagine Tia rolling her eyes as she replied.

"Touch her, and I will personally kill you."

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**Hey, guys! Sorry for the super short chapter, I have been unbelievably busy with school. So this will have to do for now. **

**I will update soon, so please be patient!**

**Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Iron fey characters, nor the Nevernever E.t.c E.t.c.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Finally had time to upload a new chapter! I have had so much school work to do recently, it's crazy. Anyway here's a new chapter, get ready guys. After this chapter it's gonna get a whole lot more exciting. **

* * *

Having been in the art room for 2 hours now, through my double free periods, I had still had yet to complete a single worth while piece of work. Every time I tried to sketch something for my coursework nothing spilled onto my paper but remnants of my dreams. Remnants I refused to acknowledge because to be frank, they scared me to death.

When I was a kid instead of drawing impish doodles of unicorns, rainbows, and my Mom like the rest of the kids my age, the drawings that I scrawled were terrifyingly sinister for a child my age. Instead I had drawn monsters, creatures. Large warty beasts, small ugly men with red caps and pointy teeth, dragons and numerous other bizarre things.

Teachers had suggested to my parents I should attend counseling or a psychiatrist in the belief that there must of been something wrong with my mental state for a little girl to be drawing such things. My parents had laughed at them, they told me that there was nothing wrong with me. I tried to believe them.

Around that same age I found it immensely difficult to interact with other kids, it was as though everybody would regularly forget that I existed. After constantly being left out or greeted with unhappy faces, I acquired friends else where. For the majority of my childhood I had a large number of imaginary friends, I can't quite remember all their names now but my Mum told me that Mr. Grumbles had been my favorite. What or who I imagined Mr. Grumbles to be though, is an utter mystery.

I looked down at my sketch book, a black bird with vivid green eyes stared back at me where a study of still life should of been. Giving up I sighed and let my head fall to the table with a thud.

There was a quiet rustle beside my head, I went rigid.

"You know, for someone so eager to kick the unbearably handsome new guy out of the room not so long ago, you don't seem very enthusiastic."

I turned my head still resting on the desk to glare at Robbie, who had done another miraculous appearing act.

"Who are you? Dynamo? " I muttered sitting up and stretching my arms above my head.

Robbie blinked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"You know Dynamo, that magician guy who does all that crazy stuff."

He broke into laughter.

" I haven't a clue who that is."

"I was referring to your sneaky entrances." I told him.

"That's not all I'm sneaky at." He winked an emerald eye at me.

A blush crawled my cheeks. I hid it by rolling my eyes and turning to grab my can of coke out of my bag. I popped the lid and took and long sip. Robbie stared with a nauseous expression on his face. Watching as downed the contents of the can. I stopped drinking, put the can down on the table.

"What?"

His face scrunched up even further.

"Bleughh, How can you even drink that stuff."

I blinked at him, once again totally confused.

"It's Coke, everybody drinks Coke. Where the hell are you from?"

His eyes left my drink and returned to me, grin returned to his face. I knew immediately that yet again I wasn't going to get a straight answer

"Well..." He drawled. "I spent a while in Louisiana. "

"You don't quite sound American."

To be honest I still wasn't sure what exactly he sounded like. His accent was a mixture of plenty and had a deep singsong quality. He just shrugged at me and began shifting through the mounds of sketches on my desk.

"You draw these?" he said as he flicked through them.

"Erm, yeah. Well I... Um, don't really like people looking at those." I slowly reached over to grab them from him.

He flashed me a cheeky grin, holding them out of my reach. I reached again for them but yet again he kept them further than I could reach. I hadn't realized just how close I'd gotten, he face was literally inches from mine. His eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Hold on, Pip squeak. I'm just taking a quick peek."

I quickly placing my self back in my chair with a surprised whimper. He chuckled, looking down at my sketches.

I frowned at him.

"It's Olivia."

His emerald eyes flicked to briefly, amused .

"I know."

I couldn't get my head around this guy, I'd literally know him a few hours and here he was bantering with me like we were old friends. And then something strange happened. One minutes he going through them nonchalantly, the next a strange expression clouds his eyes.

"Who is this?" His voice was low as he pointed to the girl in one of my drawings. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes, very beautiful.

"I don't know." I admitted. " No one, I guess. Just a random drawing."

I said inspecting the drawing further. He made a noise of acknowledgement and quickly placed the drawing at the back of the pile. I looked up at him curious to his strange reaction. He was no longer sat there.

"Erm, Robbie?"

I couldn't see him in the room. From outside the fire exit on the far side of the room came a loud clash and a racket. I pushed through the door, not a single clue what was going on. Robbie was outside hurling a bin lid.

"Robbie! What the hell are you doing?!" I asked looking from him to the discarded bin lid and back to him. He wiped his hands down his jeans.

"No worries Pip squeak, just a raccoon. " he smiled sweetly. "That guy won't be bothering this school for a very long time."

I glared at him and placed my hands on my hips.

_This kid has more issues than me_.

"This is England. We don't even have raccoons."

"Must of escaped from a zoo then." He shrugged.

"Yeah, OK. Whatever." I rolled my eyes. " How about you get yourself back I here before we both get into trouble for trashing school property."

After grabbing my bag and hiding my sketches from an overly nosey Goodfell, I rushed along the hallway to reach my next class, English literature. Tia would be grumpy if I was late, she hated having to sit and wait for me at the back of the class.

Someone grabbed my arm.

"Hold it Pipsqueak"

I groaned.

"Robbie. I know it's hard making friends on your first day, but you have got to stop following me every where."

He laughed and lifted a sheet of paper infront of my face. It was a time table, and the next lesson in the block was English literature.

"Hate to break it to you." He said leaning against the wall. " but all I wanted was for you to point me in the right direction. If you want a stalker so badly, I guess I could oblige. I have heard that I'm rather good at it."

I sighed.

"I'm sorry, I'm just having a pretty weird day. I have English Literature too, I could take you?"

He beamed at me taking my arm in his, a gesture way to friendly for someone I'd just met.

"Thought you'd never ask."

Despite myself I grinned back at him as we headed for class. Tia sat seething at the back of the class room as she saw me slide in 5 seconds away from being late with Robbie at my heels. If looks could kill Robbie would be stone cold and on his way to his funeral by now. Seemingly taking glee from her hostility, Robbie shot a grin at her that could thaw the North Pole. I hurried along to my seat, determined to not get involved in whatever was between them, I kept my head down.

As I sat down Tia turned and glared at me, tapping her finger on the desk.

"What?" I mouthed.

She ignored me to stare daggers at Robbie who sat directly behind me.

"I will kill you." She spat at him eliciting another laugh from him.

The English teacher turned round from the board and cleared his throat. Stopping laughing Robbie lent across with a sneer on his face and whispered to her,

"Join the queue." He winked at me causing Tia to almost growl, I giggled unable to control my laughter.

Not much else occurred throughout the rest of the day. Robbie still stuck around, Tia threatened to kill him more and I tried to ignore them. I had to admit though Robbie being around had been quite fun, I didn't think I'd ever laughed so much. I was pretty sure he was responsible for our History of Art teacher, Mr... Phillip, finding an extremely lacey pink bra in his desk draw.

As we headed out of the last lesson in stitches, even Tia had a sly grin on her face, I turned to Robbie.

"So you're telling me you had nothing to do with that bra?"

He smirked.

"He just looked like he needed to spice up his life a bit more."

he said , folding his arms behind his head.

"He's 64! He looked like he was about to keel over." I laughed remembering the old teachers face turning beetroot red as he pulled the bra from his draw.

He shrugged looping his arm around my shoulders.

"There's a lot more where that came from kid, a hell of a lot more."

By this point I had almost completely forgotten about the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the week passed like any other normal school week, with the addition of Robbie's presence. I managed to finally complete my Art coursework, which made me ridiculously happy, My tutor group had decided what we were going to do for the Spring extravaganza, and I had begun to feel normal again. After my little 'episode' the canvas had yet again disappeared from my studio whilst I had been at College, it wasn't long before I'd forgotten about it completely. Robbie became a normal part of college life, well maybe not exactly normal, I had become completely accustomed to his presence, humour and trouble that seemed to constantly follow him, and apparently, grudgingly, so had Tia.

Bar a few mishaps, Robbie was generally starting to behave himself, although I know he was defiantly responsible for the Football teams' kit being mysteriously dyed from white and light blue to pink and purple, the day of the national under 18's league championship. Robbie had sat in the side lines of the match laughing until he was practically rolling on the floor out of breath, I myself hadn't quite found it that funny at first. Until I saw Stephen Pretner. Stephen Pretner who had told everybody last week that the reason I'd spent so much time in the art was that I was offering 'favours' to the school's art technician, . This being completely NOT true. That same Stephen Pretner was currently hurtling down the pitch all dressed in pink, a tiara and the words 'Princess' scrawled across his back in black marker pen. From his facial expression I could tell he was clearly not impressed, I couldn't stop the cheeky smile threatening to erupt across my face. I patted Robbie on the back in approval, we spent the rest of the match giggling guiltily. They still ended up winning the match anyway.

It was fair to say that everything was starting to look up for me, not only had a gained a new friend to add to my small band of misfits, strange things no longer plagued my imagination.

I practically pranced down the high street, arm in arm with Robbie one side and Tia the other, on our way to Starbucks. Tia was pretending to hate every minute of being with us, I could tell that she was secretly enjoying seeing me in a good mood, despite the withering glares she was handing out. Robbie just looked pleased to be the one being dragged along for a change.

"Got to say pipsqueak, you're awfully perky today."

I smiled at him and laughed. "Am I?"

"Yes." Tia added. "These perky moods of yours give me the creeps."

She said rubbing her arms.

I slowed to a more leisurely walk as we reached the entrance to the coffee shop. We sat by the window, me with my extra chocolaty grande Mocha, Tia reluctantly sipping from her fruit smoothie and Robbie chomping away on an apple. Looking out the window it was clear that spring was in full swing now, getting towards late April. The sun shone brightly across the street and glinted of the cars lining the road. The last few Daffodils scattered across the grassy verge nearby. It had been more than two weeks since Robbie had turned up. Robbie tossed his apple into a nearby bin, he leaned forward across the table. His eyes twinkling.

"Fancy doing something fun tonight then, pipsqueak?"

I raised my eyebrow, taking a sip from my coffee.

"Like what?" I asked, curious.

Other than our daily post-college visit to Starbucks, I never really saw neither Tia nor Robbie outside of school. I just assumed it was because they were busy or had part-time jobs.

"Surprise." He replied leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest.

I couldn't honestly think of anything that I needed to do tonight or any other plans I'd made. I was slightly reluctant to agree though as with Robbie, I was sure something fun could mean something dangerous or maybe illegal. Then again I might actually end up enjoying myself, and currently I was in the mood to enjoy myself. I nodded.

"Sure, Ok."

Tia jumped in.

"Nope, No. Not happening. Why don't you go have 'fun' with yourself Goodfell?" She growled.

I looked at her shocked. Yes, it was true that Tia clearly had no patience for Robbie, but I thought she'd passed this stage by now.

"Tia, it's ok. Why do have to be so harsh all the time?" I snapped.

She turned and glared at me.

"Because I told you from the start to stay away from him. You're not allowed to go anywhere with him, understand. Stupid girl."

I blinked at her, I couldn't understand where any of this was coming from. Tia was always abrupt with me and moody, but never mean. I was totally hurt.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" I snapped at her.

Standing up, I grabbed Robbie by the arm and dragged him from the booth.

"You can piss off if you think you can talk to me like that Tia."

And I stormed from the shop without a glance back, Robbie trailed behind me. I left Robbie at the bus station, I agreed that he'd come get me from my house at 7. It would take me 20 minutes to walk home, I was going to get the bus but decided I wanted to walk home and cool off my head as I was still angry at a certain dread-locked friend.

The afternoon was warm and pleasant, it was around half four so the sun was still reasonably high in the sky. The streets were full of people taking advantage of the nice weather to walk dogs and take a stroll. I decided I'd take a short cross across the park that my house backs up onto, wanting to be amongst the birds and trees for a bit and not the streets. As I'd reached the woods, the sun was starting to go behind the clouds, setting everything an eerie shade of grey.

The woods were starting to get denser as spring was soon to become summer, the plant growth was starting to thrive off the sweet late spring sun. It was quite dark and cool, sheltered within the trees, I pulled my coat closer across my body to fight off the goose bumps that crawled my skin. It was creepily quiet in amongst the trees, the only sounds being the sound of twigs amongst the dirt and leaves cracking beneath my feet. A strong sense of unease flooded me, I couldn't work it out but, something among these trees felt wrong.

I had the most awfully feeling I was being watched. I picked up the pace as a trudged across the woods. The feeling of wrongness only continued to grow, and by this point as was starting to feel panicked. I tried to calm myself as my heart hammered in my ribs and breaths quickened. I was being followed, I knew it. I'd never been more certain in my life. There was no denying it, I could feel 'it' tracking me amongst the trees, getting closer and closer.

_Get a grip Olivia!_ I told myself, this couldn't be happening. _Surely I'm just reacting to having too much caffeine. That must be it. _

I was almost close to fooling myself till I hear a large growl from the undergrowth several yards behind me. I spun, almost falling over. There, Staring at me from with the undergrowth were large glowing yellow eyes, narrowed solely on me. I was flooded with panicked, neither of us moved. I had to get away from this thing, whatever it was. I knew that much. I also needed to do it calmly, if this was a wild animal I knew it'd only give chase if I ran. With all the strength I could muster I slowly backed away, keeping my eyes on the thing staring at me. A twig snapped as it edged closer, that was all it took. My flight instinct took over and before I even knew what I was doing, I had turned and started fleeing through the forest to my house. I'm a fast sprinter but I don't think I'd ever run so fast in my life. I heard another growl as the creature took chase and charged from the undergrowth.

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**I apologize for the unbelievably long time it took for me to post this chapter, I have been so busy.**

**I know this is a short one again, but I will get another chapter up this week, I promise.**

**Thank you for reading, and thank you for the reviews. **


	6. Chapter 6

I sprinted through the trees, I dare not look back, but I could feel whatever it was behind me. I could hear its' snarls echoing around me. I didn't know what the hell the thing was exactly, but I was pretty sure I didn't want to stop and find out.

My legs burnt from the effort as I hurled myself towards my house, my lungs felt raw. Something sharp struck across my back, missing my skin by inches, tearing my coat and almost causing me to stumble. Something flew past my head and hit the tree in front of me, an arrow. _Shit._ Was I about to die? I could see glimpses of the street through the tree, I wasn't far from home.

The snarling was right in my ear now, I put in an extra burst of speeds I reached the edge of the wood. _I will make it. I will make it. _

There was a tug on my pony tail, I yelped and I stumbled forward crashing into the mud. Whatever had been chasing me was now pinning me down face down in the dirt. I screamed. It snarled in my ear, its' rancid breath hot on my face.

_No. No, No. I am not about to be murder by some creature. No, Please. No. _

"Somebody help!" I screamed "Please!"

The creature roared in range, my head stung as it hit me across the back of my skull. Stars burst across my eyes. The thing brought it arm back in the air again, something glistened, a was going to stab me, this was it I was going to die.I'd never considered my eventual death, but one thing's for sure, I'd never imaged to be murder on my way home by some unknown creature.I was waiting for the whole 'life flashing before my eyes' when it struck just how insane this was. I was not going to die now, I had a whole freaking life ahead of me I was not about to let some creepy little bastard creature take that from me, I was not about to give up so easily.

As its' arm came down I darted my head to the side, its' dirty serrated blade plunged into the soil inches from my face. I whipped my arm out from underneath me and grabbed it from the creatures warty grasp, elbowing it in the face it the process. It grunted and grabbed me by the hair, I cried out and rammed my stolen dagger at it over my shoulder. It cried out in pain snarling, it launched itself away from me cradling its face with its hands. The dagger it its eye, blood poured down its' face.

I got my first real glimpse of the thing, stood around 4ft high, pot bellied, covered in yellow/brown and warty skin, rags hung around its hips. The rest of its grotesque body was naked. It was eerily familiar but yet completely like nothing I had ever seen before. I felt sick, by this gruesome beast and by the damage I had done to it.

_Had I really just stabbed it in the eye? Oh god._

Snarling and crying out it disappeared once again into the woods. Bile climbed my throat and I stumbled over to the edge of the trees and threw up repeatedly. I eventually managed to get over the initial shock and dragged myself the last couple of yards towards my house. I was glad the creature hadn't returned as the adrenaline had worn off and I was left a confused and exhausted, I wouldn't have been able to put up as much of a fight as I had the first time.

I collapsed into the hallway, my parents weren't home yet. I glanced at the clock, It was 20 to 6 now. They wouldn't return until 8pm tonight. I rubbed my face , I couldn't sit here all night freaking out. I wondered if maybe I should call the police or animal control, but what would I say? I was just attached by a creepy bipedal creature? Yeh, it tried to stab me with a dagger. Oh, Did I mention it also fired an arrow at me? I was sure they'd have me admitted. I dragged myself up and crawled up the stairs, once in my room I turned to my mirror and took in my appearance. To say I looked worse for wear was a total understatement, most of my hair had slipped out of my pony tail and was sticking out at all angles, clumps of mud hung from the free strands. There was a massive tear down the back of my coat, I was so thankful that the tear was down my coat, and not my back. My whole front was pitted with mud, it looked like I had just taken a run and jump down the world's largest mud slide. I had lost my left sneaker at some point, I hadn't even noticed. My face was splattered with mud I had a light bruise forming on the side of my face and the opposite cheek, where it had made contact with the ground. Blood was slowly trickling from my ear where the arrow had missed me, it was starting to sting now. I wondered if maybe I should go to hospital and get my head checked out after that thing had almost knocked me out, I thought best not. Then I'd have to explain what happen, to be honest I wasn't entirely sure what did happen.I shivered, slipped of my clothes, leaving them dumped in a mound, and headed for the shower.

By the time I climbed out of the shower I was wrinkled to a prune. I had just stood in the steaming spray trying to wash away the last couple of hours, I had come to the conclusion that my madness had finally taken over. Since I child I'd been so bizarre, seeing things that nobody else saw, things that weren't there. Imaginary friends. Drawing things and people I'd never met for no reason. Painting terrible, strange things in my sleep. As much as I'd like to deny it, what happened a couple of weeks ago that gave birth to that strange painting from my nightmares, was not the first time it happened. It's happened so many times before. I go to school, act like nothing happened, and by the end of the day the painting has disappeared and I let myself forget. It was true, I was mad. There was no other possible explanation. As for my injuries? Maybe I'd self inflicted them, it seemed more possible than a strange creature attacking me on my way home. I had to come to accept it, I wasn't sane. It explained so much. I'm an artist after all, it's expected.

Back in my room I changed into my red Hollister track suit bottoms, the ones mum had bought me to match hers as she was 'trendy'. I also chucked on a black vest. I ran the towel through my hair. The bruises on my face were starting to develop. Feeling sorry for myself I put on my bunny slippers and slouched down the stairs. I was heading to the kitchen to make myself a hot chocolate when the door bell rung. I looked at the wall clock, it was 7pm.

_Crap, Robbie._

I sprinted to the door and swung it open.

"Hey Pipsqueak! Are you..." he trailed of as he took in my appearance, he eyed me with flicking to my bruises.

"Shit, Are you ok? What the hell happened?"

I suddenly felt very small and very young, the whole event of that night came flooding back to me. If I wasn't crazy, if that thing had really attacked me, I almost died tonight. I might not have been standing here now if I hadn't of fought back. Robbie put a gentle arm on my shoulder, which was all it took for me to break into tears. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his middle, even though I hadn't know Robbie for long I needed some sort of comfort. Some sort of proof that I was still alive and breathing. I crushed my face against his chest, surprised by how solid it actually felt. For such a skinny guy he was clearly muscular, not in a body builder kind of way (obviously) but like an athlete or dancer would be. He smelt like dust after rain, freshly cut grass and apples. I could hear his heart beating in his chest as warm tears poured down my face. He pulled me closer to him gently patting my head, trying to comfort me.

He just stood there holding me, on the door step for several minutes waiting for me to sort myself out. I was shocked even more by this, everything was usually a joke to Robbie yet here he was holding me whilst I have my crazy melt down. I suddenly felt ashamed and immature, why was I acting like this. I was stronger than this.

_Get a grip._ I told myself.

I let go of Robbie instantly recoiling and straitening my back.

"Sorry." I muttered, rubbing the moisture from my face, refusing to make eye contact with him. "Want to come in?"

He followed me into the kitchen and plonked himself at the breakfast bar as I put the kettle on.

"Olivia, Are you going to tell me what happened?" Robbie lent forward onto his elbow across the breakfast bar, still looking extremely concerned.

I sighed and lent against the kitchen counter.

"I don't really know, I ..." I frowned looking him in the eye. "You won't believe me, I don't believe me. I think I've finally lost it."

"Try me." He says and for the first time since I met him, I know he's being deadly serious.

Resigned, I sit opposite him.

"I was attacked."

He blinked at me.

"I'd gathered that." He said leaning across and gently tracing the bruise on my face with the tip of his finger.

"By this thing" I added. "This creature."

His green eyes locked on mine, eyebrows furrowing. Still serious he asked

"What kind of a creature?"

I sighed at how deranged I sounded.

"I know, it sounds insane. I think I might be. It was this small warty thing with yellow eyes, it attacked me on my way home through the woods" I said pointing to the back of my house.

His focus flicked to the window behind me that looked out into the night time, over our garden and onto the woods beyond, like a black mirror.

"Robbie" I whispered "It had this knife, I almost died." I starred at my hands, wringing them. He put his large hand on mine and gently squeezed.

"What happened? How did you get away?" he asked.

I stopped moving and looked at him, he believed me. He actually believed me, I could see it in his eyes. Maybe I wasn't crazy after all, or maybe he was crazy too. Either way I felt so much better, I sat up and looked him straight in the eye.

"I killed it, I think." I frowned. " I mean I stabbed it in the eye, so I assume it's dead."

He starred back at me in disbelief.

"It's dead?" I nodded. "You killed it?"

I felt sick, but nodded. He sat back in his chair, his posture lose. And burst out laughing. I just sat blinking at him, confused.

"Tell you what Pipsqueak, you have doubled in my estimations. I think I like you even more now."

I didn't understand what exactly he found so funny, it wasn't funny at all. I took something's life tonight and had almost lost mine.

"Robbie, it's not funny." I said crossing my arms. He froze and looked back at me.

"No, you're right I'm sorry. I'm just impressed, I hadn't expected you to tell me you took on a Goblin like that."

I hardly thought it was impressive, I'd ran for my life and only faced the thing when I didn't have any other choice. Then I was an emotional mess afterwards.

_Wait, what was that he said? _

"Did you just say Goblin?" I asked slowly.

"Yup."

"As in the mythical creature that doesn't exist?"

He rocked back his chair, nodding.

"That's the one, although they do exist. They're as real as you and I."

I shook my head and stood up to check the kettle. I was starting to think I wasn't crazy after all, just that Robbie was.

"Goblins are not real. I think everyone in the world would know if Goblins were real." I laughed. "Forget Bigfoot, forget the Loc Ness monster. We have Goblins in Brighton."

Robbie picked a grape from the fruit bowl and popped it is his mouth.

"They're all over, not solely in Brighton, and not just Goblins either, there's a whole world of Fae."

I giggled. "Fae? As in Faeries, you're kidding me?"

It occurred to me that I was becoming the butt of one of Robbie's practical jokes.

"Would I lie to you?" He asked looking up at me from where he sat, emerald green eyes wide and innocent.

"Yes, I think you would."

He gasped in mock shock.

"Pipsqueak, I assure you, I couldn't lie to you if I tried." He grinned.

I crossed my arms across my chest.

"I'm still not buying it."

A small voice in my head niggled at me asking 'How else would you explain it then?'. I didn't want to believe that those sinister Goblins were running about all over. Why'd I never see them before?

_Oh but you have._

The sound of a buzzing radio and the image of slitted green electric eyes popped into my head. Memories of strange creatures I'd painted sprung before my eyes. _Oh gosh._

Robbie stared at me knowingly, he knew I was thinking this through. Daring me to deny what happened any further.

I gulped.

"So say I believed you, which I'm not sure I do, why was this 'Goblin' after me?"

He shrugged.

"Couldn't tell you. Probably no particular reason, Hungry maybe? Now a better question would be why could you see it?"

I frowned.

"What do you mean why could I see it?"

He popped another grape into his mouth and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Normal human beings are blind to the Fae and the Nevernever. They don't know of it existence."

"How do you know so much about them then?" I shot back.

He smiled a long, sly, knowing smile.

"I'd of thought you'd of figured that out by now."

I froze, staring at him. He was starting to freak me out a little.

"Ok, Tinkerbelle. Are you trying to tell me you're a faery too? Don't be offended if I don't believe you."

He laughed and stood up, walking slowly towards me.

"Oh I'm not Tinkerbelle, I'm much more famous, or should I say infamous than that. I have been around a hell of a lot longer than 'Tinkerbelle'."

His eyes glinted with mischief through the fiery red strands that fell across his forehead , a dangerous grin spread across hiss face. I swallowed hard as he stood in front of me, backing up against the kitchen counter. In that moment he looked completely foreign to me and I realized just how little I knew about Robbie Goodfell. I also realized that I'd let some strange boy, that I've only known for a few weeks, into my house, whilst both of my parents were at work and would be for the next couple of hours. And now this strange boy was claiming he was a faerie tale creature 'more famous than Tinkerbelle'. Why had the utter stupidity of this not occurred to me until now?

"Well who the hell are you then, Robbie? Where are you really from?" I snapped, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I told you, didn't I?"

"Nope, pretty sure you didn't. Cut the bullshit."

He held his hands up and took a step back.

"Alright Pipsqueek, keep your knickers on."

He went and sat on the kitchen counter opposite.

"If you must really know I, Robin Goodfellow favorite lackey of his royal majesty King Oberon, raining sovereign of the Seelie court of summer, do in fact hail from the land known as the Never never. "

I was literally at loss for words.

"Robin Goodfellow? Like 'A midsummer's night dream 's Robin Goodfellow? Puck?"

"The one and only." He said bowing with a flourish.

"Bullshit." I spat.

He looked up at me surprised by the venom in my voice.

"This isn't some crappy joke 'Puck'. I've had a pretty shitty night, so if you'd excuse me, I think you'd better go home now."

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**Another chapter, hurrah!**

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